Ivan Sergeevič TURGENEV

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on pure Arches wove paper, the deluxe issue.
A handsome copy despite the spine being slightly sunned.

First complete translation of Ivan Turgenev’s poems, one of 25 numbered copies on Japan paper, justified by the publisher, deluxe issue.
A very handsome copy.

First posthumous edition.
Contemporary half red shagreen binding. Raised-band spine decorated with 5 fleurons. Initials G. B. at tail. Some rubbing. Fresh overall. Good copy.
The posthumous collection, Turgenev having died in 1883, comprises 4 unpublished stories: Monsieur François, The Song of Triumphant Love (with a dedication to Gustave Flaubert), After Death (Clara Militch), A Fire at Sea; it opens with a chapter on Turgenev's life and work by Viscount E-M de Vogué, and concludes with Renan's speech delivered at the author's grave. The last story in the collection, A Fire at Sea, was dictated to Pauline Viardot by an ailing Turgenev shortly before his death.

First edition.
Contemporary half red shagreen binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with 5 fleurons. Initials G. B. at foot. Light rubbing. Good copy, very fresh.
Collection composed of 2 stories: La caille and Mémoires d'un nihiliste, 2 collections of short stories: Souvenirs d'enfance and 30 petits poèmes en prose (short stories in the manner of Baudelaire's petits poèmes en prose), and a play: Trop menu, le fil cassé.

First edition. Translation by Louis Viardot with the participation of the author.
Contemporary half brown shagreen binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with fillets on the raised bands. Traces of rubbing. Spine uniformly sunned. A copy of fine freshness.
Dimitri Roudine, written in 1855 by the author, is one of Turgenev's most important stories, who constructed in Roudine one of the most emblematic characters in Russian literature.

Rare original albumen photograph mounted on card by Carjat. From 1865, Carjat sold his studio to Legré and Bergeron who thereafter exploited his collection.
Photograph mounted on card. On verso: Photographie Legré et Bergeron, anciens associés succrs de Carjat & Cie, 56 rue Lafitte Paris. In pencil: Tourgueneff.
The photographic session which presumably took place at Carjat's studio, of Turgenev at around 47 years of age, produced several negatives, one of which is in the Carnavalet Museum. This other photograph shows him in the same attire, no longer facing forward but in profile. We have been unable to locate any other copy in public collections.
Handsome print representing the writer with a dark and grave expression.

First edition in French.
Half green sheep binding, smooth warped spine decorated with triple gilt fillets, marbled paper boards with surface wear, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, corners slightly bumped, speckled edges, contemporary binding.
Occasional foxing, copy slightly trimmed.

21 lines on a leaf of paper with Turgenev's monogram and address, 50 rue de Douai. Restorations with three small pieces of paper in the margin, some dampstains. Folds due to the letter's mailing.

Beautiful autograph letter signed by Ivan Tourgueniev addressed to Gabriel Monod (1844-1912), historian, former student of the prestigious École Normale Supérieure and director of the École des Hautes Études. Tourgueniev comes to the aid of Nicolas Egorovič Bitmead (1842 [?]-1886), a revolutionary recently expelled from Russia, and recommends him to his friend.
This is a touching demonstration of Turgenev's legendary generosity, who helped him once again by writing him a recommendation to painter Nicolas Dmitrievič Dmitriev-Orenburgskij, enabling Bitmead to establish himself as a painter in his own right.

Turgenev's letters are extremely rare.

[PHOTOGRAPH] Photographic portrait of Ivan Tourgueniev

Alphonse Giroux, Paris s.d. (circa 1855), 6.2 x 9.7cm, one photograph

Exceptionally rare original albumen print photograph, in visiting card format, mounted on card, showing Ivan Tourgueniev.
We have only been able to find one single copy of this photograph in the Hulton Archive collection.

Rare 19th-century edition of the complete works of Turgenev on high-quality paper, in contrast to earlier editions, notably that of А.Ф. Маркс. Labeled as the "third edition." Features an engraved portrait of the author as a frontispiece and a facsimile of his handwriting.

Publisher's bindings in full red cloth, smooth spines adorned with black and gold typographic motifs, and boards framed with black fillets and floral patterns. The center of the boards features a vignette containing the author's monogram surrounded by an inlaid green vegetal motif. Edges are speckled.

Some volumes are slightly warped. Light water stains on the boards of volumes 1, 3, 9, and 10. A few hinges are cracked: the hinge of volume 6 has been repaired with gummed paper, while those of volumes 3 and 7 were also restored using white paper strips.

The paper is free of foxing, which is rare for an edition of this period. Exceptionally rare in publisher's binding and in this state of preservation. Many pre-revolutionary Russian books were destroyed during the Communist era, and their exportation from Russia is now prohibited.

First edition of the French translation by Prosper Mérimée (for the first four stories) and Ivan Tourgueniev (for the other three).
Binding in half brown sheepskin with small corners, back with four nerves ends set with golden garlands and adorned with gilt fillets, gold friezes at the head and tail, marbled paper plates, Contemporary binding.
Very rare autograph dedication signed by Ivan Turgenev.
Stamp printed library on a guard, copy trimmed with slight loss of letters on the autograph as regularly, rare foxing.

Letter handwritten autograph signed and dated in German on laid paper at the author's number and address 50 rue de Douai mounted on tab and glued on the cover page:

«Saturday, 2 February 78
Dear Mrs Paoli,
I hasten to reply to your kind letter. In fact, from the very beginning of my career as an author I wrote plays (the last one in 1851), but I very soon became convinced that there was not in me the stuff of the dramatic poet, for Only the evolution of the characters interested me, not their conflicts. Moreover my pieces have met with no success. But as you have shown a friendly interest in my affairs, I allow myself to send you my "Scenes of Russian Life", in which you will find two plays - a comedy in two acts and one in one act. The last one is not even planned for the stage.
You will most likely share my opinion about my dramatic skills.
I was very pleased to hear from you again; I hope that you are doing well and asks you to receive the assurance of my highest esteem.
Your devoted
Ivan Tourgueniev »

Pre-first edition of Apparitions translated from Russian by Prosper Mérimée.
With contributions by Alphonse Esquiros, Prosper Mérimée, Paul-Émile Daurand-Forgues, Paul Perret, Anselme Payen, Gaston Boissier, Charles de Mazade, Henri Delaborde.
Joints cracked at head and foot, small lacks and marginal tears to boards.

First edition.
In blue paper wrappers, printed in red and black.
Contributions by: Ivan Tourgueneff: " Le fils du Pope, récit inédit", Léon Dierx: "Sur le seuil", Camille Pelletan: "Les masques politiques- II- Le duc de Broglie", Théodore de Banville: " Le vêtement", Adelphe Froger: "Sur le fleuve", Catulle Mendès: "De la légende", Albert Mérat: "Nos Ciels", Léon Cladel: "Le Tombeau-des-Lutteurs", Catulle Mendès: "Pierre le Véridique", G.D., J.P., K.H.: "La semaine".

First edition.
In blue paper wrappers, printed in red and black.
Contributions by: Octave Fouque: "La Nouvelle Musique française : Berlioz-Bizet-Massenet-Saint-Saëns", Camille Pelletan: "Les masques politiques : III. Duc et Marquis", Léon Dierx: "Gloria in excelsis", Ivan Tourgueneff: "Le fils du pope (suite et fin)", Armand Silvestre: "Alfred de Vigny", Henry Laujol: "Les Abeilles", Catulle Mendès: "Pierre le Véridique", G.D., J.P., K.H., L.P.: "La Semaine".
Minor lacks and rubbing to upper cover, otherwise a handsome copy.